If you are a fan of dark and eerie photography than Photographer Andrea Hunter is right up your alley. If you are looking for a wedding photographer then Photographer Andrea Hunter is who you are looking for. Seems like an odd pairing but this is one photographer who can do it all. Who can shoot your dream wedding on Saturday and then be shooting models covered in blood and gore on Sunday. Her work is so varied and versatile. Not content to focus on one single form of photography Andrea dabbles and excels in them all it seems. I personally love her use of lighting is so subtle and perfect does not distract. One piece that makes the puzzle complete.

Where are you from?

I'm from Burlington, Ontario originally, I've lived in Etobicoke, Whistler and Toronto and I now live in Hamilton

How did you get interested in Photography?

I was lucky enough to go to a high school that had a photography program, I had always been really into art and took photography from grade 10-12. I learned on a 35mm film camera and learned to develop my own film and photos in black and white and colour, I really loved learning how to get creative in the black room and make creative prints like double exposure, dodging and burning and actually scratching up the negatives, which shows today in my digital edits! I never stopped shooting since!

What kind of equipment do you use and why do you prefer that particular brand or type?

I shoot with a Canon 5D Mark III, and use all canon and sigma lenses. Prime lenses with a low aperture are my favourite! I actually shot Nikon for many years, but once I started using both Nikon and Canon cameras I found myself switching over to the Canon world and haven't looked back!

What do your photos say to the viewer?

My photos seem to catch most people off guard at first since they're usually dark, a bit gory and out of the norm, but that's what seems to draw people into them even more, because they're different and something you don't always see, it allows people to go into a different world!

How did you get interested in Wedding photography?

I started out only shooting a wedding here or there for friends when I was fresh out of college, and then I started working at a studio that was mainly wedding photography, within my first year of working there I shot about 15 weddings and haven't stopped since! I left the studio about 2 years ago and have never been as busy with weddings as I am now averaging close to 20 a summer!

What type of photography do you enjoy the most?

I love shooting alternative editorials, I'm completely in my element when I get to collaborate with other artists like makeup artists, designers, hairstylists, headdress makers etc. Coming together to create an entire scene to show off our visions is the best!

How have you evolved as a photographer from when you first started to now?

I was actually looking through my college portfolio the other day and couldn't help but laugh at my photos from back then, I've always had the same sort of edge to my photography but back then I didn't have the knowledge or experience to execute exactly what I was envisioning, after many years of practicing, growing and learning now I can make my visions come to life!

For your creative work what is the process? From when you come up a shoot idea to the final edits?

So sometimes I just have these images in my brain that I have to make come to life, or I will see an image on Instagram or a magazine and it will inspire me to create my own version of what I'm seeing. Or sometimes I will find a location while I'm out and base an entire shoot around that one spot. I will then bring together a team of creative individuals that I personally think are perfect for the job and have the same creative flow I do and together we will make it happen! Having a team is so important for my shoots, and having the right model who knows how to work their body and facial expressions can really make the character come to life! Once the shoot is done I will spend hours on end going through all the photos, picking my favourites and deciding how I want to edit them. Every shoot I find myself wanting to learn new editing techniques and pushing myself to make this shoot even better than the last one. I'm in constant competition with myself!

If you had a time machine where would you go and why?

What a fun question! I wouldn't go too far back actually, I always find myself drawn to the 60s/70s, when art and music were really blowing up and there were no boundaries anymore. I would love to go see all the classic rock/metal/punk bands play live, and travel the country in a van, festival hopping and meeting other free spirited people!

What kind of photographer are you? Just want to know how you would describe yourself.

I always struggle with how to explain my photography to people, I usually end up saying I'm an Alternative Editorial photographer, which also usually leads to me having to explain what that is lol!

Do you still do dark room developing or have you completely joined the digital age?

Unfortunately I don't. I learned on black and white film, and I would love to play around with it again! I just don't have access to a dark room, or the money to make my own! I have taken it upon myself to display my photos in a creative way instead of just a print, I like to do photo transfers onto wood, canvases, any blank surface!

I once heard that Art is addition and Photography subtraction. In that with Art the artist has to add everything they want to the finished piece and in Photography the photographer has to decide what they don't want in the frame. In a way to simplify both it always stuck with me. Curious as to what a photographers thought would be on such a statement.

That's an interesting saying, in one way it makes sense, photography we are able to set up the shot and show only what we want in the frame, while there can be a hundred other things going on around that you do not see in the image. But on the other hand, I'm always adding things into my shoots whether its models, props, headpieces, clothing etc. it's these additions to the scene that really bring the photo together.

What advice do you have for photographers wanting to improve?

Constantly push yourself, always try to make your newest project your best one! Learn from every shoot, and experiment! Lighting is your best friend and once you're able to understand lighting and how it works then you can get so creative with it!

Do you mostly rely on a team, or do you do shoots alone, too?

I am so fortunate to have a very long list of people that I work with on shoots! Depending on what the theme is I have makeup artists, designers, hairstylists, models etc for all different genres. I do have my select few that are my go to for most projects but I also love to meet new people in the industry that I haven't worked with and see what sort of magic we can create together! And sometimes if I just want to do a quick shoot on the fly and don't have time to get together an entire team, just myself and the model can create something equally as awesome!

There is a huge surge in photography and photographers of late why do you think that is?

I think because of how far technology has come now everyone has access to digital SLR cameras, and even just their phones and editing apps which allows them to take good quality photos. That's why it's important to stay ahead of the game and be creative so you stand out among the hundreds of other photographers out there!